New Hope Equine

05/09/2024

UNDERSTANDING PROUD FLESH ✍️

Wounds on the bodies and limbs of our equine companions are exceptionally common. In particular, wounds on lower limbs can be especially difficult to manage. There is little extra skin in these areas, making large wounds difficult to close via suturing.

In addition, wounds on the lower legs are contaminated easily with bacteria since they are closer to the ground, bedding, and manure. The constant movement of an animal's legs as it walks, turns, and bears weight can also greatly impair healing, especially if the wound occurs over a joint. All of these factors can often halt the normal progression of the healing process and result in a chronic wound.

Persistent inflammation, along with infection, is a major contributor to exuberant granulation tissue (or proud flesh) formation in a wound. Proud flesh is not conducive to wound healing as it prevents the wound from epithelializing (the process of the skin cells covering the wound), and sometimes it can become so large that it appears to be a tumor, usually obliterating the original wound.

Prevention of proud flesh involves good wound management. For the best healing, wounds should be identified and treated quickly and properly — especially on the lower limbs. Consult your veterinarian about any wounds that appear deep or extensive, that lie over important structures (like joints and tendons), or that already show signs of proud flesh development. Rather than waste time and money in trials and errors that could delay your equid's healing, ask your veterinarian what products are best for your situation.

22/05/2024

SPECIAL OFFER: 50% OFF GASTROSCOPY, MAY 29th!!
PLUS 14 FREE tubes of Gastrogard

New Hope Equine is excited now offer gastroscopy services on the farm to evaluate for gastric ulcer syndrome, a common problem in our equine athletes.
We are offering a 50% discount for one day only! Text or call 215-534-2491 to schedule. Appointments are limited!

01/04/2024

The grass is getting juicy! It’s time to think about restricting access to pasture or digging out the muzzle for our “easy-keepers” and horses with metabolic syndrome.

28/03/2024

Did you know?

The most common parasites of adult horses cause very little stress on the nutritional status of a horse. Just because a horse looks good from the outside, it does not mean it should not to be checked for internal parasites—as a matter of fact, it is not uncommon for the horse with the best coat and highest body condition score in the herd to also have the highest F***l Egg Count (FEC)!

If your horse has access to pasture, you should assume the animal is exposed to parasites. This spring, talk with your veterinarian to establish a dewormer plan tailored to your horse’s situation that includes at least 1-2 dewormer treatments per year and FEC examinations to monitor treatment efficacy and parasite egg shedding status of individual horses.
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Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

17/03/2024

Preventative care is the foundation of good health, and we would like to thank you for entrusting us with your horse’s primary care by offering several benefits when your horse receives an annual physical exam and vaccinations with us. Most notably, significantly reduced emergency fees (up to 50% lower!) and 24/7 emergency care. Receive additional discounts with our Wellness Programs!

24/02/2024

Save on your horse’s care with our new wellness plans! Talk with Dr. Sarah Bye about them when scheduling your spring vaccines.

21/01/2024

FUN FACT FRIDAY! Are you familiar with the many adaptations that help your horse stay warm during the cold winter months?

🌾 Hindgut digestion of hay produces the most heat, acting as a small furnace inside of the horse. This is why free choice, good quality hay is so important in the winter.

💪 Horses have a huge muscle mass and muscle activity produces heat. This includes running and playing and even shivering if their body temperature starts to drop. It is important to remember that these activities also will result in a bigger caloric demand so free choice hay and in some cases, grain, is often needed.

🧥 To blanket or not to blanket is a constant debate but either way, as it starts to get cold your horse will grow a thicker coat. If you decide to leave your horse unblanketed you may notice that they look “fluffy”. This is due to a phenomenon called piloerection where the hair stands up to better trap air within. Two layers of the coat also help with warmth. The inner layer is softer and has air pockets to create an insulating layer. The outer layer is coarse and has oils that keep moisture from penetrating the insulating layer and keep the horse warm.

⚖️ Wild horses go into the winter heavier than ideal and the fat serves as an extra layer of insulation. However, if a horse is going to be kept heavily blanketed and in a barn during the cold weather months this is unnecessary and can lead to obesity related issues.

🦵Their distal limbs (below the knees and hocks) are made of mostly bones and tendons, tissues that are resistant to the cold temperatures.

🦶The hooves have an alternative route of blood circulation through larger vessels that can be used in low temperatures. This is why horses can stand in snow without detrimental effects.

👃A horse’s nose has a robust blood supply and is rounded so that it is less susceptible to frostbite than a human’s nose.
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Courtesy of the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

19/01/2024

Stay safe and warm out there today! My minis are out enjoying the snow.

14/12/2023

Happy day of the horse! There’s no better time to post embarrassing photos of my horses, who bring me joy every day.

23/11/2023

Happy Thanksgiving, from my turkeys!

29/10/2023

“You said I had to wear the muzzle, I just made a minor modification!” -Sully

28/09/2023

23/09/2023

Offering performance evaluations, lameness exams and prepurchase exams.

05/09/2023

Corneal ulcers are common in the summer with bugs and allergies causing horses to itch and rub. We use an eye stain that turns the ulcer green to make it more visible. Corneal ulcers are an emergency and need to be treated promptly. They are also painful! Call if you see any squinting, tearing or cloudiness in your horse’s eye.

01/09/2023

Sometimes my vaccines match the sunset.

29/08/2023

Opening up a hoof abscess is so satisfying! Non-weight bearing to sound in few hours. What a relief!

19/08/2023

Annual physical exam ✅ Muzzle for weight management ✅

10/08/2023

Offering chiropractic and acupuncture.